Dimmer device for vehicle-headlights.



Gl S. INMAN.

DIMMER DEVICE FOR VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS.

APLYICATION FILED 00T. 3, 1913.

Pa1en1ea June 16,1914.

2SHEETS-SHEET1,

G. smh/1m. DIMMEB. DEVICE FOR VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS. APPLIATION FILED OCT. 3,1913.

1,100,484. Patented June 1.6, 1914.

- 2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

tinirnn srarss PATENT onirica.

S. ENMAN, 03? CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-H iF T0 ELI G. INMAN,

a F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DIMMER DEVICE FOB VEHICLE-HEADLIGHTS.

Specincation of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 16, 1914.

Application filed October 3, 1913. Serial No. 793,086.

To all 107mm it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Gnoiicn S. INMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident et Chicago, in the county of Cook and State olf illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dimmer Devices for Wehiclc-Headliglits; 'and I do hereby declare that description thereof, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings and to the char-` acters et reference marked thereon, which :term a part of this specilication. This invention relates to a novel dimmer vfor head lights or lamps for aut0mohiles,`j

electric cars and like vehicles, so constructed and arranged as to permit the lull volume of the light to he projected 'from the lamp when the vehicle is running in comparatively dark and isolated places, and to permit the light to he dimmed when the vehicle is running in comparatively light roadways or through which other vehicles are 'ng the objects of the invention is to provide means associated With the lamp .tor

passi such vehicles which permits the full volume l set forth which will eliminate to a maximum" ent the casting of shadows on the roadf when the light isdimnied, and which permit the use of a relatively thin trans lucent or semi-transparent medium for the dimmer, with means for actuating the elements thereof to expose or dim the light without placing stress on the dimming elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, dimming device for the purpose set forth or' a construction to he readily cai ried hy the doei' or cover of the lamp, between thc door lens andthe source of light.

As shown in the drawings :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lamp equipped with my novel dimming device, Fig. 2 is a` section on line 9.-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is' a detail elevation as seen from the line 3-3 of Fig. l.. Fig. 43: is a detail, partiallyin elevation and partially irl-section, of cnelethe vinoil the following. is a full, clear, and eli-ictl able dimming elements. Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of one of the dimmer elements or slats with the upper and lower frame mem hers shown partly in section. Figa G is a. detail section on the line G-G of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail of the actuating and locking means for the adjustable dimming elements.

In the illustrated cinhodiinent of my nvention as shown in the drawings, 10 designates a conventional form of casing for the laiup or head light for an automobile or electric car, l1 the lampor source of light which may be an. electric lamp or a gas burner, l2 a conventional form of reflector and 13 a conventional ferm of lens through which the light is projected. Said lens is carried by a frame or cover 14; which may be detachably secured to the casing or hinged thereto, as desired. The fastening devices 15 at the sides of the-casing may either comprise overlapping lugs through which pins extend, or one of said devices may he regarded as a hinge and the other as a hitch. yIn gas lamps it is common to hinge the front door or lens frame to altord ready access to the "burner, and this may or may not he done in the use of an electric lamp.

Arranged between the source of light and the lens and carried hy the lens frame is a dimmer device which, as herein shown, consists of a plurality of swinging Shutter slats or louvers 16 that are so mounted and arranged as to be swung into position parallel to the light rays projected from the reflector l, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2, and to be swung to a plane suhstantially at right angles to the projected 'raysl of light, as shown in Fig. l and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. These shutter slats or loui'crs are made of a semi-transparent or translucent material, such for instance, as Celluloid, or colored glass. c Celluloid is preferable hy reason of its lightness and the ease hy which it may loe mounted and connected to the ac- The said shuttertuating device therefor. slats are connected to suitable actuating mechanism therefor whereby the series of slats may be simultaneously actuated to swing them into position to alternately eX- pose and dim the light in the rear thereof. As herein shown, each of the said slats 1G is provided at its ends with ttings'IS, preterahly made of sheet'metal and attached thereto in anysuitable manner. To said-fittings are connected combined pivots and ei'anlis designated, as a Whole, by 19 which are soldered or olierwise ixely secured te the fittings. The saiol combined cranks ami. pivo e comprise pivot members ai'iangecl in the longitudinal axis of blieslats and which.

extend through openings in upper and lower 'liorizsonial supporting' or frame members 20, 21, respectively, horizontal meinbei's 2Q which lie. parallel to the planes of *alie supporting members, and Crank members 25 dis posed atiiglit angles to lle horizontal ineinbei 22 and' which extend through slotted openings 2G, 27 of upper and lower endwism reeiproeatoiy actuating' bars 28, 29 which are i'tell lo and are guided by elle frame o3? supporting members 20, 2l. Said upper and lower frame members 20, 9.1 ave Suppeited by a eireulai" eiv parl. circular frame 3i which is airangecl within the outer, larger end of the reeetoi' 12, and is proviclecl with a radial annular 32 which is eeninecl between the lens 13 and a radial aixnulai' flange 33 at the outer, larger end of the reflector, as Shown in Fig. 2, the parte being held in ixed relation on the clips Said. construct-ion fixes the reieetoi' to ehe lens frame oi* door so 'hat said reeetor is movable or remo fable with said doof. The manner of mounting the 'raxne 31 may be Varie. to eeri'espond with dien ent inountings of the door or lens carrying 'ane, an essential. feature of the construetion being"v the. interposition of tlie (liniming' eleniens between tbe lens and source of liebt. and preferably 'lille mounting ofi said dimming elemens upon the door so as te be movable er -removable with said frame or sleor.

The slinttei' Slat actuating; bars, 28, 29 are adapted to be simnll'aneously reeiproeated by ineens of a band `niece 35 which extends through an opening in the door or 'frame le and which is attached at its innei1 emi to a eurvecl cross bar 35 that is connected al: its enlls in any suitable manner to correspending;l encls of eaicl actuating bars 28, 29, as most clearly shown in Figs. l and 2. The said liancl piece 35 may be looked in adjusted positions by means of a locking seiew 3S sei'eW-tlireaclecl te a slotted` .fitting 39 'through wliieli the hand piece extencls and aclaptecl "ce impinge at its inner end against. saicl banal. piece,

llili the eonstiuelzien described, reciproeation ef the Slat aetnaen, bars, tlnrouggli elle inanipnlaion of the lianfl piee B, seivee lo give sinnlilaneoue opening or 'CloeA ine' upon Clie direction of l'lie liancl pio-ee. oi* dimmer elemente amy be lock-ai in enliei' position of mljneli-nienlj. The Supporting member 2O for the Upper ends of the sliutlei slats is malle el? channel cross section, willi the lange l0 lieiwsof li- Y and tbe Source of liglil, m: le oilmni l :'lininel ing' movement oi the shutter slats, cepewlwenn@ reetecl upwva'sfily, anjl associated will; ein lies between :unl is ,Online thereof. ",`l1e. .iill lain warclly ai'. lleir enlle lo 73, lo limit tbe re'ipme.. lie upper, .uglufellngg; lm' E. .limit libe opening: aml lemmi 1 lle Slwl'ei elem oi lom'ei'rl. poi-tino bai" l': .f the :fl'mllei comi'. e :i laei'ally opening; ell loer, through Lilie upmllainye pivots 19 'aXieiNl, an@ ille. len. which enligne@ the fecilmia'a bar 29 which lieslnenealzli lu; 1v eembinecl pivot :unl eranl' i'f:l...l li provided with llie elols lo r: legs of die Saifl 1 i\'eliei'an. f "ie lmvei iiange of 'ille Hummm. 2l previa 1l. with lugs -l 'lo nel actuating' 1om: 99 lamiera ,ly in pla: be pieyiilefl .willi siepe l-Vv lo iluinal yeeipivieal nimemen. i The f ifl slin'tlie slabs oi' l om Semiaxx Sparset or lm appi'oved malte." l Celluloid. lf eellnloil., w ma oombuetllirle lys employ il the aflaplalien l'lieiew to interpeee a slieei'` o. transparent ninteia lautre@ llie liet tbe relatively inllanmzxble fi'oni mm'ilnieion.

,ln lle use of (lie le volume mi light are turned lio lie liglil; rays which :we 'piejeelm reflector, lo illmnil'xan 'l'.lie i' f 3.' in

the Yeliifle. lo, lzlis 'puf .l iliey aior no subelzanzial nl). lig'lil, so lial. the 'full volume ol be uilizel. llli in, :new: light elf 'llie lamp molii'niml be alljuslxicl ie. al p-vlsiiien sul .y right angl ,a lo 'lne lig'li'iz i. iii-3 wlmi the i'elleell i l eo as te ein. off' lne e el the ligglll. lliimfg'li lille i el? lille. la'anfalwfxml Shield n lleulell bv lowers, alle li` y. are .faubllnell oi" (lnnne direct glare of the lio; time alim-Cling euiieiei to render tlieweame lli ing veliieles nml lo :mi tli ioxulv w foi? ille rl-iu" The mi ity Sii'ziu'five m' portion ei the mmf 'f la a generally reeiza v Sbowli iii 195i cular l you nli covered a she-el 5t) of translucent material such as Celluloid. tted' at its margin between the lens and the iange 33 of the dimmer trame, and provided with a central opening of a shape to expose the dimmer structure. This detail of the structure' will depend somewhat on the lamp to' which my dimmer device is appliedn lt will be apparent that the structural des ect to the exposure and dimming of the light if the said slats were arranged in other than the horizontal positionn l claim as my invention L A dimmer for head lights comprising a series of shiftable dimmer elements made of translucent or semi-transparent material through the bodies of the light rays are adapted poss ai )ted one position ot adjustment i l, .rap cach other throughout the area of the light opening ot' 'the lamp whereby the light rays passing therethrough are dimmed and in another position to permit substantially the full volume ot the light to pass between the slats through the light opening, and means for supporting and for adjusting the dimmer elements and or locking them in adjusted positions.

2 lin a head light the'conibination with a casing, e source of light and a lens through which the light is projected, of a dimmer arranged between the source of light and the lens, comprising a series of shiftable semitransparent dimming elements adapted in one position to permit the free passage of light from the source through said lens and in another position to be interposed inoverlapping relation between the source of light and the lens, so that the light from the source casses through said elements and 1s dimmed hv its passage therethrough, and i ruiltaneously adjusting the dim and .tor locking them in ade 3. The combination with a head light provided with a lensand a movable door for carrying same, of a dimmer device carried by the door between the lens and a source of light` in the rear thereof, said dimmer device comprising a plurality of semi-transparent or translucent elements adapted in one position to permit the light rays to pass between the elements and directly through the lens and in another position to overlap each other toeXtend entirely across the area 'of the lens between it and the source of light to dim the light rays passing through the lens and means for adjustin said dimming elements and for locking t em in adjusted positions. c

4. A dimmer for headlights comprising a series of thin, semitransparent shutter blades adapted to extend across a lamp lens and adapted in one position thereof to overlap each other at their edges and to constitute acontinuous mask for the light ra S and through which the rays pass to e dimmed, and adapted in another position thereof to assume parallel positions whereby the light rays pass substantially unobstructed between said blades, frame members in which said shutter blades are rockngly mounted at their ends, and means connected to the rocking pivots of the blades for opening and closing them. i

45. The combination with a head ligh lcomprising a casing, a source of light and a. lens extending across the front end of the easing, with a door supporting the lens, of a dimmer device comprising a frame carried by the door, thin translucent shutter elementshaving pivot means by which they are rockingly mounted in the frame members, cranks associated with said pivot means, connecting bars'engaging the cranks and manual meansassociated with the connecting bars for simultaneously opening and closing the blades, with means for leek- ,ing' the blades in either of their adjusted posltions.

. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I atlix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 20th dayof September, A. D. 1913.

GEORGE S. INMAN.

Witnesses:

G. E. DowLE, WV. L. HALL. 

